Elek: If a humanitarian disaster happens to us, all international actors will be complicit

Dr. Zlatan Elek, the director of the Clinical Hospital Center in Kosovska Mitrovica, stated at today's press conference that if a humanitarian catastrophe occurred, threatening this healthcare institution due to the inability to deliver medications, oxygen, and other medical necessities, all international actors would be complicit.

Speaking about the situation at the Clinical Hospital Center, Elek pointed out the current shortages of saline solutions, specific antibiotics, and depleting oxygen supplies.

"All relevant international factors are aware of this situation. We have discussed this with the UNMIK Chief, Caroline Ziadeh, and explained the problems we are facing. We hope to avoid the humanitarian catastrophe that threatens us. If it is not averted, all international actors, including UNMIK and OSCE, the World Health Organization, and all others, will be complicit," Elek said.

As he added, the Republic of Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic, the Ministry of Health, and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija have secured all the necessary medications, and the reason for their non-delivery should be sought among the counterparts in Pristina.

Commenting on the statement from the Kosovo Ministry of Health, which denied the situation at Clinical Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica, Elek said he had already provided supporting evidence. He emphasized that the source of this problem did not date from September 24, when the Kosovo Government had closed the administrative crossings due to the events in Banjska.

"We certainly would not discuss this topic if the service of the so-called authorities in Pristina's Ministry of Health were so efficient. We had a return of medications twice in 2021, amounting to 600,000 euros, claiming that the decision was made because the medications lacked Albanian-language instructions. Please, bring me a bilingual ampoule from the southern side, and I will accept that as a reasonable cause. In 2022, a request was submitted but returned because the Brussels Agreement on medication supplies was entirely annulled. We were directed to humanitarian supplies, and since then, nothing has been delivered to the Clinical Hospital Center. Then, when we were supposed to have regular quarterly supplies, the authorities in Pristina put us in a situation where we receive supplies once or twice a year," Elek stated, adding that the hidden agenda of Pristina was the "exodus of the Serbian population from northern Kosovo."

Regarding the oxygen supply situation at the Clinical Hospital Center, Elek refuted the information that there was none at all, saying it was running low.

"At the moment, we have it; we are doing emergency surgical procedures. There is no reason for that kind of panic yet, and I will call on you if we run out. The situation is alarming and critical. The illogical aspect is that an institution of this type, with 550 beds, depends on a mayor's signature for importing oxygen. We get supplies through centralized public procurement, organized by the Republic Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry, and we ask for the medicines allocated to us to reach us, nothing more than that," Elek said.

The director of the Clinical Hospital Center began his address by mentioning the performance of preventive check-ups, as after the actions of the Ministry of Health and the Republic Fund of Health Insurance, the focus was shifted to prevention.

He also indicated that President Aleksandar Vucic had said that enough mammography and magnetic resonance imaging devices were dispatched to all hospitals, which would improve the quality of diagnostics. As Elek emphasized, prevention is the primary factor in preventing disease onset and promoting treatment when detected early.

"Starting from October 15, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., preventive check-ups can be done in 150 institutions in the Republic of Serbia, and we proudly announce that Clinical Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica is included. I invite all citizens to come to the Clinical Hospital Center in two departments that perform preventive check-ups. In the radiology department, we conduct breast ultrasounds for women over 40 years of age, and for men, prostate exams, that is, specific antigen tests, which can be done in our laboratory," Elek said.

As he added, if any of the results indicate the possibility of illness, specialists will examine all patients without appointments; there is no scheduling for these check-ups, no referrals, and no waiting.